UNNECESSARY TESTS AND TREATMENTS IN LOW VALUE CRITICAL CARE
Dr Gerben Keijzers
Senior Staff Specialist Emergency Physician,
Gold Coast Hospital at Department of Health, Queensland &
Adjunct Professor, Honorary Professor of Emergency Medicine
Griffith University & Bond University,
Queensland, Australia
RESEARCHER PROFILE
Filmed in Southport, Queensland | January 2025
Dr Gerben Keijzers is a Senior Staff Specialist Emergency Physician at the Gold Coast University Hospital Emergency Department. Dr Keijzers balances half of his time between clinical work and academic duties, including teaching medical students and conducting research. His role also include being an honorary professor of emergency medicine at Bond University and is an associate professor at Griffith University.
Dr Keijzers completed a master’s degree in epidemiology and medical degree in Nijmegen, The Netherlands. He came to Australia in 2002 and completed his Fellowship in Emergency Medicine in 2008. He has a PhD in the quality of trauma care.
He works clinically, conducts clinical research and is a clinical supervisor for medical students on emergency medicine rotation. Over the past 15 years, Dr Keijzers has helped create seven research pillars focused on critical care studies, such as sepsis and antimicrobial stewardship.
His research focus includes low-value care, which is in the area of unnecessary tests and treatments with minimal benefits. Dr Keijzers has contributed to over 100 publications and more than 20 grant applications. Through his involvement in multi-site collaborative research projects, he encourages critical thinking and curiosity among clinical staff, striving to enhance both patient care and the efficiency of healthcare resources.
He is the former chair of the Queensland Emergency Research Collaborative, a member of the Clinical Trials Group of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine, a member of the Research Advisory Committee for the Emergency Care Institute and is section editor for the peer-reviewed journal Emergency Medicine Australasia.
Note: Narrative adapted from University of Queensland website and interview
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Novel therapy for pancreatic cancers, targeting molecular foundation
Dr Michael Lee is an experienced medical oncologist, sub-specialising in gastrointestinal cancers and neuroendocrine tumours at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.
He plays a key role in molecular tumour boards at VCCC Alliance (Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre) and MPCCC (Monash Partners Comprehensive Cancer Consortium), ensuring the accurate and effective use of precision medicine in cancer care across the state.
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Biological interactions of extracellular vesicles
Raluca Ghebosu graduated from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science with majors in Japanese and Biomedical Science (2018-2021). She then completed her Bachelor of Science (Honours) with the School of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Queensland in 2022, before pursuing a PhD with A/Prof. Joy Wolfram at the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology.
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CASE STUDY Link between levels of extracellular vesicles in the blood and tissue damage caused by diseases
A landmark study led by WEHI and La Trobe University has found a potential new diagnostic marker that could be used to better detect the level of tissue damage in our bodies.
This study revealed, for the first time, a link between levels of EVs in the blood and tissue damage caused by diseases such as leukaemia.
Researchers hope to leverage the critical new insight to develop a blood test to monitor cancer patients with tissue damage, which could, in future, enhance treatment strategies for blood cancers and other diseases.
